The media isn’t fool-proof, either, as shown by Joseph Boskin, a professor of history at Boston University.

Boskin spun a story of King Constantine and the jester Kugel. During Constantine’s reign, Boskin said, the king allowed a jester to take the throne for a single day, April 1, after being told by a group of jesters and fools that they could do a better job running the empire.

The jester’s role was to put things into perspective using humor. During King Kugel’s temporary reign, he passed a single edict: calling for absurdity on the day of his reign. The custom became an annual event.

Boskin told his story with such seriousness, managing a straight face throughout, that the story was believed and run in many papers. It took a couple weeks before the Associated Press realized they’d been duped.

As the pranks continue, maybe some clever individuals will spin tales of wonder of their own, outlining the ‘true’ origins of April Fools’ Day.